1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golf games, and in particular to an apparatus and method for playing a golf board game.
2. Background of the Invention
It is generally accepted that golf first emerged in Scotland around 1100 AD. It was based on a Roman game called paganica, which used a bent stick and a leather ball stuffed with feathers. Golf was banned in Scotland from 1457 until 1502 by King James II because its popularity threatened archery practice, which was necessary for national defense. In 1502 England and Scotland signed a treaty of perpetual peace, and the play of golf resumed.
Until 1848 golf was played with a feather-stuffed leather ball called "the feathery". In 1848 golfers started using a solid gutta-percha ball called "the gutty", and in 1899 an American inventor introduced the liquid-center golf ball.
The oldest golf club in continuous existence is the Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, located in Edinburgh, Scotland (established 1744). This club established many of the standards of the game, including fixing the length of the course at 18 holes. The Royal Montreal Golf Club was established in 1873, and ranks as the oldest North American golf club. In the United States, the St. Andrews Golf Club was established in Yonkers, N.Y. in 1888, and was the first United States golf club.
Today, more people play golf than any other outdoor sport. More than 16 million people play golf in the United States alone every year. The game has become popular in many places, including the United States, Canada, England, Western Europe, and Japan.
Conventional golf courses feature either nine or 18 holes. A round of golf consists of 18 holes played in a pre-determined sequence. During play, golfers attempt to keep the ball on the fairway, a stretch of mowed grass between the tee-off site and the putting green, which contains II the hole into which the ball must be sunk. The edges of the fairways frequently have obstacles called bunkers. These bunkers may be a mound or a sand trap, or sometimes a body of water such as a stream, pond, lake, river or ocean.
About half the holes of an 18-hole course are medium holes, and measure from approximately 280-455 yards in length. The other holes are divided between short holes (less than 280 yards) and long holes (longer than 485 yards). Consequently, 18-hole golf courses occupy between 90 and 250 acres.
The large area of ground required for golf courses gives rise to one major problem faced by the sport: space within which to locate golf courses. This problem is especially pronounced in countries where real estate is scarce, such as Japan.
Another problem associated with playing golf is the travel involved in getting to the golf course to start out with. Golf courses are typically located outside cities, in the countryside. Individuals desiring to play must first travel from their homes or workplaces to the location of the golf course.
Thus the need exists for a realistic golf board game, whereby the players may practice the mechanics of playing a game of golf, and a the same time amuse themselves, using an apparatus that can readily fit on the average kitchen table.